Formula E

This is twenty world-famous racers from F1, Indikara and Le Mans and ten teams, most – the highest level. This is racing on four continents through the streets of twelve luxury cities specially created car-electric vehicle with open wheels and rear wings. Ecologically clean race – so much so that the fuel for generating electricity can be drunk. All this is a Formula E racing championship! In the debut season (2014-2015) Formula E was strictly a mono-series: the same Spark-Renault SRT_01E electric car was allowed to race. Teams were allowed to customize it and make suggestions for improving design. But next year the organizers allowed 8 manufacturers of the power plant and transmission (however, the chassis remained standard). Further more: every year the teams have their own options for developing and creating racing electric cars.

How did Formula E come?

The project of creating the championship has been in the atmosphere of automobile sports since 2011. No gasoline or other types of traditional fuel – a bold idea that turned out to be on the shoulder of the promoter and owner of racing teams Alejandro Agagu and his colleagues. Together with the FIA, they developed a concept and created a new racing series from scratch.

Differences Formula E from other races

Formula E is the world in itself. It is the highest and so far – the only series of electric cars. As trams do not compete with buses, and complement the system of urban transport and the electric championship is not a competitor to Formula 1. F1 was and remains the Queen of Motorsport. GP2 together with F3 both supplied and will deliver talented young people to the world of speeds. IndyCar with Nascar are still the best championships of America. Formula E is no longer the only, but the best auto racing series on the planet: there are other electric car races.

Why follow the electric car championship?

Technologies of tomorrow, a different concept of sports, where in the first place inventions and innovations. Formula E is designed to thoroughly shake up the conservative motor racing planet. The organizers of the series have already introduced several interesting ideas. The sound of electric motors is different. Wind noise and tire creaking at speeds well beyond 200 km / h. Unusual and beautiful view of the cars themselves. In Formula E, you can fall in love, because it is likely that this is our future.

Where and when will the electric car race take place?

No classic racing tracks: only the central streets of the most beautiful cities in the world. In the first season – this is the legendary Monaco and Long Beach, where the fastest race cars of the world (F1 and IndyCar) are chasing. It was in 2015 and the race in Moscow. Frankly speaking, every racing promoter dreams of racing in the center of London and Berlin, in the resort corners of Malaysia and Uruguay. Carrying out races in cities is a logical decision, because an electric car is a vehicle exclusively for large cities. The stages of Formula E are about once a month. In the third season there are 12 of them. When the traditional racing series go off-season, Formula E will continue to delight motor racing fans. In fact, the championship starts in September-October, and ends annually around the middle of July. On Sundays, each fan has 2-3 competitions that are broadcast on TV. To add one more championship to such a tight schedule is not the path chosen by the organizers. Formula E class races take place on Saturdays when free time can be found.

Partners, investors and creators of electromobile races

The semiconductor giant Qualcomm is an investor and ideologist of fast battery charging technologies;

Michelin Shinnik – suppliers of 18-inch all-weather tires for cars;

F1 teams Williams and McLaren – battery and electronics developers;

race company Dallara – the creator of the chassis;

Renault concern – Spark-Renault SRT_01E electric vehicle designers.

Other investors with big names are actively eyeing the new championship. From the second season, when it will be allowed to create electric cars of its own design, it is expected that there will be an influx of factory automaker teams, many of whom are already working with Formula E. For 2018it’s planned the arrival of Mercedes.

Formula E has arranged drag racing to compare new and old cars

The electric series clearly showed how much newer cars of the second generation are faster than old ones. The races were held on the British Donington circuit. The car of the first generation was driven by the champion of the third season of Formula E Lucas di Grassi, the car of the second generation – Antonio Felix da Costa. There were three races – the winner of all was da Costa behind the wheel of a second-generation car.

From zero to 100 km / h the new car accelerated 0.21 seconds faster. In the second run, it was necessary to accelerate from a place to 150 km / h after the start, and then brake to a complete stop – the new car coped with it 1.31 seconds faster. The final race in a straight line at 250 meters da da Costa won with a margin of 0.57 seconds. The machines of the new generation will debut in the fifth season of Formula E, which starts on December 15 in Riyadh. These cars have changed not only externally and become faster – now the pilots will be able to pass the entire race distance on one battery charge. Lewis Hamilton spoke about his attitude to the races of electric vehicles, which, in his opinion, still not very soon will be able to compete with Formula 1.

In Riyadh, on December 15, the new season of Formula E will start. Three pilots who competed in Formula 1 in the last two seasons will take part in it at once, and there will be eight of all former F1 drivers on the starting grid (nine, if André Lotterer considers). After the race in Brazil, journalists asked Lewis Hamilton what he thinks about the current state of Formula E and comparisons of this championship with F1.

Rosberg predicted F1 unification with Formula E

This question was addressed to Max Verstappen. “I think the leaders of Formula E clearly said that they do not plan to compete with Formula 1,” he replied. – It’s just another championship. It seems to be becoming more interesting, with the arrival of all the major manufacturers, but at the moment I am satisfied with where I am chasing now. Perhaps I will be among the people who will try to buy the last barrel of oil in the world.”